Becoming Family
by innocentlyinsane99
Summary: Set during X-Men First Class, Charles and Erik take steps in becoming somewhat more paternal toward the boys.
1. Chapter 1

It wasn't something that anyone addressed, but it was something that they all noticed. The painfully quiet atmosphere held responsible many contributors, all of which resided in the Xavier mansion. It wasn't addressed, because most of the didn't even think it an issue. When someone spoke, they spoke clearly with purpose and resolve. They were all strong, even in speech.

Except Sean.

And sure, everyone spoke sparingly but that was expected considering that they were all strangers to one another. But Sean was different. He too spoke few words to butcher the length of conversation, but it was almost as if for a different reason altogether. He also spoke quietly, practically whispering his responses when questioned. In retrospect, the boy only really ever spoke when questioned, never offering up his opinion willingly. Sometimes, he would just point. It irked Eric more than anyone that the boy wouldn't speak his mind, but he never really though to bring much attention to it.

When Sean was asked what type of juice he'd prefer, he'd croak his answer with self consciousness.

It worried Charles, much more than he'd admit.

Charles wasn't exactly sure what type of role he was currently playing in Sean's life. Or Alex's for that matter. Technically, according to the law, they were both minors. He was teaching them, so he was their professor. But in addition to that, he was housing them, training them, feeding them, making them his wards. He was their guardian. Hell, he had even signed Alex's release papers, putting the kid in Charles's direct custody.

But Charles wanted to do more, he wanted to provide care and support. He wanted to be there for the boys in a way where he suspected they very much needed. He felt as though he had a responsibility to parent them. So Charles had asked to see Sean in his study over dinner, which turned out to be quite an affair.

Because the thing was, Sean wasn't only quiet, but managed to be timid as well.

So, when Hank had asked for the gravy to be passed to him, Sean happened to be the closest to the dish. He grasped the bowl with both hands and lifted it toward Hank. Alex sat between them, so for a moment the filled dish was directly in front of his face.

It lasted a moment longer than necessary, because before Hank could reach out to take the gravy from Sean's frail arms, Sean dropped it.

Directly into Alex's lap.

"What the hell, man?" Alex wasn't directly shouting at Sean, but that much could be interpreted.

Sean lowered his gaze.

"I know it doesn't take a genius to pass some food to a bozo, but it definitely takes an idiot to drop some."

This time, Alex stopped wiping his shirt to look at Sean as he spoke, it was a cold look.

Sean's eyed widened, slightly startled.

"Hey,-" Sean said in a relatively normal voice before cutting himself off completely.

It was as if he deflated after that, slumping into his chair like he wanted to disappear.

"That's quite enough, Alex." Charles intervened. "It was most certainly an accident."

Alex scoffed.

Sean closed his eyes as if he was willing himself not to cry.

Alex mumbled something unintelligible. Something mean and harsh. Something no one but Sean heard.

A single tear slipped down Sean's cheek.

For a moment, no one knew how to react.

That is, before Eric stood up and took charge.

"Havok, go wash yourself off. And next time you have something to say, make sure we all can hear it."

Alex left the room, his lips pressed together tightly.

Charles gave Eric a look.

"Now the boy's going to go to bed hungry, are you pleased with yourself?"

Eric only sighed.

Charles continued, "Sean, will you see me in my study after dinner?"

It wasn't a request, everyone realized that. Sean nodded quickly, it was almost like his head would snap.

"Right, then" Hank said slowly "let's just get back to dinner."

Everyone continued to eat except Sean. He just looked down at his lap. After a moment, Sean sniffled.

"Sean" Charles said softly.

Sean looked up, his eyes watery.

"Would you like to be excused?"

The words were asked gently, as if they were being spoken to a young child.

Sean nodded.

"Go on then" Charles said.

Sean stood up to leave the room.

"But Sean," The boy stopped dead in his tracks at the sound of the professor's voice.

"Next time, just ask."

All Sean could do was nod once again.


	2. Chapter 2

Alex was fuming. Not at the food that covered him, or even Sean all that particularly. He was angry at Erik for being such an ass, at Charles for not saying anything.

In actuality though, Alex knew all that anger was misplaced. The kid was mad at himself. He just couldn't think it, just in case the Prof was listening. Also, he didn't have it in him to accept the blame.

Alex bounded up the stairs, trekking through the hallways of the mansion as quickly as his feet would take him. He was running by the time he passed his room. He needed to leave Charles's range so he could think, not that he didn't trust the professor, he trusted the man with his life, but it just wasn't a risk he was willing to take. No one needed to know how broken or in self denial he was, it was no one's business but Alex's.

So, Alex climbed out a window. The only window he could remember having any sort of fencing near it was the one out of Charles's bedroom. So, despite the guilty feeling that formed in the pit of his stomach, Alex entered the master bedroom without permission. It was wrong, Alex was well aware but that didn't stop him.

As he fearlessly pushed himself outward into the dark night, Alex subconsciously started to go upward. This wasn't the plan though, Alex was intending on getting far away, probably even leaving the premises. But for some reason he just couldn't, so Alex managed to scale the brick wall until he got to the roof.

And when he got there, fully knowing he was still in the professors range, Alex cried.

He wasn't sure why he was crying, there probably wasn't a singular reason for it, but that didn't stop him. They weren't even tears of sorrow or sadness, they were tears of unprecedented rage.

He cried cause he felt stupid and he felt stupid for crying. Maybe five minutes had passed when Alex felt a tiny little prick in his mind, something a regular person may have disregarded, but not Alex. Alex knew this was the professor reaching out to him. Knowing he couldn't trick the professor when he was listening in, Alex took a different approach. He pleaded in mind,

 _Please, sir. I don't want you to come here right now._

Then Alex proceeded to curl up in a ball and focus on nothing but his breathing. He didn't want Charles to come up here, that was for sure. Not because he didn't want the comfort the man would provide, but he was afraid he'd be shunned away in this state. A rejection he couldn't handle. These were thoughts Alex didn't dare think, but that didn't mean he couldn't feel them.

There's something about a thought you don't let yourself think, something wrong. Like a puzzle piece that looks as though it should fit, but the edges are off. Like your body as a whole acknowledges it's existence, but you fight your mind with your heart. You make yourself feel instead of think. You let your soul crush under the weight of shame or embarrassment, but force your brain to think of anything but the causation of your emotions.

It was probably unhealthy.

It probably didn't even occur to Alex that three floors below where he lay, wallowing in a tumultuous storm of feelings, there was a man that felt useless in a situation that was beyond his control. Charles had heard Alex's thoughts, and stared off to a distance as he sat at the dinner table.

Alex hadn't intended to make Charles feel bad, but it was something that occurred anyways.

So Charles took the two fingers he held at his temple and let them drop. Almost instantly, Erik knew something was wrong.

"Where you just communicating with Sean or Alex?"

Hank stopped drinking the water in the glass he held at his lips, attentive.

"I-I was just told by Alex that I was unwanted. Though it is clear to me the boy is distressed."

Charles was the one who seemed distressed.

Eirk chose to refer to the boys by their hero names off the field to their faces, but when they weren't present and the topic of conversation, Erik called them by their given names. There was some psychology behind that, something Charles didn't want to delve into.

"Where is he?"

Erik had a feeling that this was something serious, something that wouldn't just warrant self-pitying like an angsty teenager in one's bedroom, Alex was somewhere else.

"The roof."

To be honest, Erik was surprised the boy didn't go further.

As Erik made way to leave the room, Charles voiced his disapproval.

"He want's to be alone." It even sounded even more untrue spoken out loud.

Erik scoffed

"He doesn't know what he needs, let alone wants. I'm going to bring him down."

Hank snorted from where he sat at the table,

"If the asshole doesn't jump, you might as well just push him."

Charles gave the young scientist an affronted look.

"He's a child, Hank. I expect better of you."

Hank held the professor's gaze in defiance for a moment before dropping his head,

"Yeah, okay."

They both had failed to notice that Erik had left the room.


End file.
